trees – Organic Authorityhttp://www.organicauthority.com
Organic Authority - organic food, organic living, green living, organic thoughts.Fri, 09 Dec 2016 11:00:33 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.3How to Use Crabapples (and Not Waste Free Fruit!)http://www.organicauthority.com/how-to-use-crabapples-so-they-dont-make-you-crabby/
Thu, 13 Oct 2016 07:00:08 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=53073What’s the last thing that you got for free? Was it a buy-one-get-one-freebie or a free gift when you signed up for a subscription service? The last thing that I got for free was a harvest of crabapples in my backyard. They were free because I never even planted the trees (they are courtesy of […]

What’s the last thing that you got for free? Was it a buy-one-get-one-freebie or a free gift when you signed up for a subscription service? The last thing that I got for free was a harvest of crabapples in my backyard. They were free because I never even planted the trees (they are courtesy of my home’s previous owners). How will you use crabapples if you should happen to find a free supply?

BTW, if you don’t have a crabapple tree, and you want to give them a try, look for them at your local farmers market. Alternatively, a neighbor may have a tree and be more than happy to share.

Is it safe to eat crabapples?

Yes. I can personally vouch for the fact that I’ve eaten a crabapple and lived to tell about it. I have not, however, eaten a lot of them at one time. Why? First of all, they are very tart and pithy so eating more than one is not enjoyable. Also, anecdotal reports suggest that eating a few at a time can upset your stomach.

So, although a reasonable amount is safe to eat, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the potentially fatal cyanide.

According to Livestrong.com, “Crabapples are essentially the same species as apple trees. The seeds of both of these trees contain a form of cyanide called cyanogenic glycosides. Cyanide is a toxic…However, the average American eats around 16.9 pounds of fresh apples every year and reports no toxic effects. Despite the presence of cyanide in the seeds, most people don’t eat the core. Even when apple seeds are ingested, they usually pass through the gut without being broken down. You would have to eat lots of crabapple seeds and grind or chew them up for the cyanide to take effect.”

What the heck do I do with crabapples?

For years, I simply added my crabapple harvest to my compost bin, but that’s not the most effective (or enjoyable) use for them.

Create a Halloween witch puppet by dehydrating a peeled crabapple. Put the dried apple on the top of a craft stick or chop stick. Push whole cloves into the apple for eyes and a nose. Use small pieces of fabric to dress the witch in a cape. Some yarn or dried hay glued on the top of the apple will make hair.

Craft a fall wreath. Peel a crabapple and core it so that you have a hole through its center. Now, slice the apple so that you have circles with a center hole cut out of them (like a tire shape). Dehydrate crabapple slices and thread them onto stiff floral wire. Tie the ends together to form a circle, and add a festive bow or ribbon.

Medicinal uses:

I’m not a doctor or homeopathic healer. Although I’ve never used crabapples medicinally, I’m intrigued by some reading I’ve done about their medicinal uses.

According to botanical.com, “The chief dietetic value of apples lies in the malic and tartaric acids.” They have been used to relieve constipation, and the astringent juice, which is rich in tannin, is helpful in chronic diarrhea.

According to Natural Medicinal Herbs, “The crushed fruit pulp can be used as a poultice to heal inflammations or small flesh wounds.”

]]>We’re Not Doomed After All: Non-Poisonous BPA Alternative Created from Tree Pulphttp://www.organicauthority.com/were-not-doomed-after-all-non-poisonous-bpa-alternative-created-from-tree-pulp/
Tue, 25 Mar 2014 07:00:09 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=28398There’s some exciting news for consumers concerned about BPA (bisphenol-A), the chemical found in hundreds of items including canned foods and sodas, plastic containers, and a number of household products that is linked to serious health risks. A team of chemists claim to have created a safer and more eco-friendly alternative derived from a waste […]

There’s some exciting news for consumers concerned about BPA (bisphenol-A), the chemical found in hundreds of items including canned foods and sodas, plastic containers, and a number of household products that is linked to serious health risks. A team of chemists claim to have created a safer and more eco-friendly alternative derived from a waste product of the paper industry.

BPA is the source of much debate here in the U.S. It’s banned in Europe and was recently banned by the FDA from certain baby products. But it is found elsewhere in such abundance that concerned consumers fear there’s no avoiding the chemical and its endocrine disrupting effects. It’s also been linked with cancer and heart disease.

According to TakePart.com, University of Delaware researchers have created “bisguaiacol-F” or BGF, out of lignin, which is produced when wood is pulped. It could be on the market within the next five years, offering consumers a safe alternative to BPA products.

“We know the molecular structure of BPA plays a large role in disrupting our natural hormones, specifically estrogen,” said Kaleigh Reno, a graduate student involved in the research. “We used this knowledge in designing BGF such that it is incapable of interfering with hormones but retains the desirable thermal and mechanical properties of BPA.”

Current “BPA-free” alternatives may be as harmful or more harmful than BPA, recent research finds. And a healthier alternative, like BGF could save the country close to $2 billion in health care costs related to exposure to BPA (and current alternatives).

“This approach considerably simplifies the design of new bio-based materials since we can predetermine properties and screen for toxicity for a broad range of potential compounds from renewable resources such as lignin and plant oils,” Wool said in a statement.

Another significant benefit to BGF is that unlike BPA, it’s not derived from fossil fuels. The researchers note that 70 million tons of lignin are produced each year (and much is already used for energy recovery) and BGF would make use of this waste product as “a viable environmental and economic alternative,” reports TakePart.

]]>7 Wisdoms of Trees: What Trees Can Teach Ushttp://www.organicauthority.com/7-wisdoms-of-trees-what-trees-can-teach-us/
Tue, 14 Jan 2014 08:00:43 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/?p=27065What can we learn from trees? They’ve been around a lot longer than we have, so probably quite a bit. Trees are incredible creatures that we often overlook considering the fact that they are among the primary members of our planet providing us with enough oxygen to survive. If we can become quiet and attentive enough, […]

What can we learn from trees? They’ve been around a lot longer than we have, so probably quite a bit. Trees are incredible creatures that we often overlook considering the fact that they are among the primary members of our planet providing us with enough oxygen to survive. If we can become quiet and attentive enough, we realize that trees can tells us many stories of wisdom and awareness that apply to our everyday lives. As silent teachers, trees have much to share, so take a walk in your favorite forest (maybe even try hugging a tree) and open your heart and mind for lessons on life.

1. Grow strong rootsTrees grow where they are planted, and root themselves firmly to to the ground they live in. Grow and maintain strong roots for yourself by knowing who you are, where you come from and where you want to go so that you can experience each moment fully. Having strong roots also means staying grounded, clear and focused.

2. Develop healthy branches and leavesTrees access nutrients from the ground through their roots, and transport them through the core of the tree to grow strong branches and beautiful leaves. By developing your self awareness and inner strength, you too can apply yourself to the many things that you love and make yourself available to the people you love. Focus on your inner growth first to develop strong roots that allow your branches and leaves to unfurl, and thus your passions and dreams to become reality.

3. Accept your place in time and communityTrees live where they are for tens, hundreds and sometimes even thousands of years. They accept the things they cannot change, and continuously work to help themselves and those around them thrive. The nature of trees is to collaborate with those around them to co-create an environment that is beneficial for all its creatures, as they are inherently aware of the interconnectedness of everything. This is a very large and honorable concept, but can be boiled down to the understanding that by helping others, we are essentially helping ourselves, and thus creating community.

4. Learn from your pastWe can read a lot about the past through trees; weather patterns, climate change, and historical events. Scientists have developed methods for physically reading trees by measuring the rings that appear on the inside of a tree. The number of rings indicates the age of the tree, while the width and color of the rings tell us about the temperatures and availability of water in certain years. What has happened in your past, and how is it informing your current level of self-awareness? Like a tree, you don’t need to hold on to the past, but understanding it will help you prepare for future droughts, heat spells and tough times.

5. Nothing is wastedFor trees (and all of nature, really) waste does not exist. Everything has a purpose; debris and dead plants become soil for new seeds to sprout on, new plants become food for another creature that fertilizes other plants. Essentially, there is nothing new, because nothing is ever thrown away. If we realize that we are also made out of materials from those that came before us, and our thoughts are merely floating on the veil of consciousness, perhaps our appreciation for this life and its wonders will grow.

6. You’re stronger than you think you areWild storms and extreme weather conditions can make trees dance wildly, and although some do not survive, others stand the test time and time again. Strength can come in many forms, and we all have the innate ability to use it if that’s what we desire.

7. Be yourselfA tree is a tree, and each species gracefully accepts its characteristics and qualities. Have the courage to ask yourself who you really are, and then surrender to it. Don’t waste your time, or anyone’s, trying to be something you are not. When in doubt, or feeling lost, connect yourself physically to the earth by walking on it barefoot, touching it with your bare hands, or the underrated cliche of hugging a tree, and you may find answers or at least some solace.

]]>Abundant Urban Green Space Linked to Happiness of City Residentshttp://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/green-space-urban-happiness.html
Sun, 02 Jun 2013 15:00:00 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s2-sanctuary/c5-sanctuary/green-space-urban-happiness/Green spaces in cities are a key happiness booster, suggests a recent study published in the Journal of Psychological Science.Researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing data from a national survey that followed United Kingdom households for 17 years between 1991 and 2008. Among the more than 10,000 individuals surveyed, participants with more access to green […]

Green spaces in cities are a key happiness booster, suggests a recent study published in the Journal of Psychological Science.Researchers came to this conclusion by analyzing data from a national survey that followed United Kingdom households for 17 years between 1991 and 2008. Among the more than 10,000 individuals surveyed, participants with more access to green space reported greater well-being and life satisfaction than those without access to parks and gardens. Even when controlling for other happiness factors, greener spaces were linked with lowered mental distress and improved life satisfaction.

What does this mean for your city? It means city planners worldwide may put more weight and more public funds behind green space improvement. “These kinds of comparisons are important for policymakers when trying to decide how to invest scarce public resources, e.g. for park development or upkeep, and figuring out what ‘bang’ they’ll get for their buck,” study researcher Dr. Mathew White of the University of Exeter Medical School said in a statement.

The assertion that green space is important for human happiness isn’t new. But the Exeter study is the first to rule out other causes for happiness differences. By comparing data over such a long period of time, Exeter was able to control other possibilities for causation. The study accounted for changes over time in participants’ income, employment, marital status, physical health and housing type. Green spaces still held up as a happiness booster. In fact, they accounted for about a tenth of the amount of happiness boost from employment versus joblessness. It’s even up there with major well-being events like marriage.

“We’ve found that living in an urban area with relatively high levels of green space can have a significantly positive impact on well-being, roughly equal to a third of the impact of being married,” Dr. White said.

Dr. White cautions that the study doesn’t conclusively prove green space is a happiness booster. The study does, however, bolster other studies’ findings about green space and happiness. An experimental study published in the Journal of Environmental Science & Technology in 2010 showed that short periods of time in a green space can improve people’s mood and cognitive functioning.

]]>A New, Clean Fuel From Trees?http://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/a-new-clean-fuel-from-trees.html
Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s2-sanctuary/c5-sanctuary/a-new-clean-fuel-from-trees/Who doesn’t love trees? They provide shade in the summer, beautiful, bright scenery in the fall and are fun to climb year-round (yes, even adults can have fun climbing trees). And now trees have gained another wonderful, positive point. Engadget.com recently reported that trees are now responsible for a new, clean fuel. The Engadget.com article […]

Who doesn’t love trees? They provide shade in the summer, beautiful, bright scenery in the fall and are fun to climb year-round (yes, even adults can have fun climbing trees). And now trees have gained another wonderful, positive point. Engadget.com recently reported that trees are now responsible for a new, clean fuel.

The Engadget.com article reported that researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Purdue University made a patent-pending method to create organic solar cells using plant-derived substrates: “Known as cellulose nanocrystal substrates (or CNC), these solar cells benefit from being truly disposable, eliminating the waste that results from the use of alternative materials like petroleum or glass. The CNC-made cells are not only transparent enough to allow light to pass into an embedded semiconductor, but they also dissolve when submerged into water, thus earning the esteemed recyclable distinction.”

Forbes recently commented on the development and explained the new solar cell concept quite well: “Think of a solar cell like the leaf on a tree. They capture sunlight and can turn it into energy. And now, those solar cells have the possibility to do the same and be recyclable at the same time. Which means this technology takes us several steps farther along the path of creating sustainable, scalable and environmentally friendly energy production.”

Like all nifty scientific breakthroughs, the reported clean energy won’t be available in the near future. The new, clean fuel is not nearly as powerful as traditional energy quite yet: “Current cells can only yield a 2.7-percent conversion efficiency rate, which falls far below the 10-percent threshold met by rival fabrication methods (i.e., petroleum and glass).”

]]>From Our Friends: September 23, 2011http://www.organicauthority.com/from-our-friends/from-our-friends-september-23-2011.html
Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:43:47 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s12-features/c39-from-our-friends/from-our-friends-september-23-2011/Each week we work tirelessly (but happily!) to deliver quality articles to you that are both entertaining and educational. And along the way, we come across so many other awesome posts from our friends around the web that we can’t help but share. Keep an eye out each Friday for our favorites. This week you […]

Each week we work tirelessly (but happily!) to deliver quality articles to you that are both entertaining and educational. And along the way, we come across so many other awesome posts from our friends around the web that we can’t help but share. Keep an eye out each Friday for our favorites. This week you can find out if you live in Caffeinated America, how to be a stainless steel expert, international travel at home, and more! Enjoy!

1. Are you part of Caffeinated America? Blisstree discovers and discusses America’s top 10 most caffeinated cities.

2. What’s the difference between the different grades of stainless steel? What do the different numbers mean? Find out everything you need to know at MightyNest!

3. International travel doesn’t always require a passport. Experience Life has five U.S. cities where you can immerse yourself in other cultures — without going through customs.

4. According to Rodale, the USDA Forest Service is reporting that fracking waste water kills trees and vegetation.

5. Stated in a report by the BBC, garden therapy could be beneficial for people suffering from dementia.

]]>Special DIY Delivery: 30 Junk Mail Trash-To-Treasure Ideashttp://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/special-diy-delivery-30-junk-mail-trash-to-treasure-ideas.html
Thu, 08 Sep 2011 02:31:54 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s2-sanctuary/c5-sanctuary/special-diy-delivery-30-junk-mail-trash-to-treasure-ideas/If you take a cold, hard look at the statistics on junk mail, the very act of opening unwanted mailbox deliveries chews up 8 full months of the typical human life span. As if that’s not bad enough, 4.3 million of the 5.6 million tons of annual unsolicited correspondence sent to American households is ultimately […]

If you take a cold, hard look at the statistics on junk mail, the very act of opening unwanted mailbox deliveries chews up 8 full months of the typical human life span. As if that’s not bad enough, 4.3 million of the 5.6 million tons of annual unsolicited correspondence sent to American households is ultimately landfilled using 340,000 garbage trucks despite it being perfectly recyclable.

While eco-concerned citizens can take targeted actions to purge their mailboxes of unwanted snail mail (courtesy of such organizations as JunkMailStopper and Consumer Alert, among others), one of the easiest ways to make a positive environmental impact is to keep it out of the waste stream in the first place. Oh, it’s not even that challenging to do, either. As with repurposing books, belts and countless other post-consumer materials, we’ve got your juicy eco-DIY ideas in the bag – just read ‘em and reap… a greener tomorrow, that is.

In The Office:

A4-sized solicitations can be reserved for ‘scrap’ printing needs. Just print on the blank side of any 8 ½ x 11 inch page that crosses your path, and voila… you just earned your eco-wings!

In The Gift Room:

There’s no need to plunk down big bucks on newly manufactured gift wrap that almost always ends up in the garbage when you can make your own recycled junk mail version… with complementary gift tags to match.

In The Craft Room:

Tuck pictures and graphics (cut out of junk mail) into a file that can be flipped through any time you want to create a collage or other visual art project.

]]>7 DIY Feasts For Feathered Friendshttp://www.organicauthority.com/sanctuary/7-diy-eco-foods-for-feathered-friends.html
Tue, 14 Jun 2011 02:12:04 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s2-sanctuary/c5-sanctuary/7-diy-eco-foods-for-feathered-friends/Spending a lot more time in your garden now that things are heating up outside? I hear ya. Working the earth for that mid-summer tomato and zucchini payload is well worth the dirty fingernails, but one of the greatest pleasures in life can actually be enjoyed simply just by sitting back and taking in the […]

Spending a lot more time in your garden now that things are heating up outside? I hear ya. Working the earth for that mid-summer tomato and zucchini payload is well worth the dirty fingernails, but one of the greatest pleasures in life can actually be enjoyed simply just by sitting back and taking in the scenery. By turning off the white noise in your brain – at least for 10 minutes – you’ll be better able to bear witness to the busy-beaver, social butterfly demeanor of Mother Nature’s original tweeters… birds.

Once you get into the bird-watching groove, you might just catch yourself feeling a little more relaxed, almost as though you’ve just taken a phenomenal yoga class. Then, before you know it, you’ll make it your personal mission to furnish your melodious little visitors with one or more luxurious birdie condos complete with attached grain silos and endlessly filtered water features. (Where there’s a DIY will, there’s a way…)

Budding bird-brains and seasoned avian enthusiasts! Increase your opportunity for bird sightings – which will in turn roll out the red carpet for your own personal zen-tastic stess busting sessions – just by making the following feeding strategies part of your birdie seduction plan:

GO HEAVY ON THE LANDSCAPING MULCH

In addition to providing your flowers, shrubs and other decorative greenery with an ace form of moisture retention, birds genuinely benefit when you lay the landscaping mulch on thick. It’s no secret that insects gravitate toward the dark, cool environment found beneath soil so don’t be surprised if you observe wild birds diligently plucking juicy bugs and squirmy things out of the wood chips mounded around the base of your maple trees. The looser top layer of mulch will appeal just as much to bugs seeking refuge from the hot sun as it will to birds seeking easy eats.

SERVE UP A HEAPING PLATE FULL OF RECYCLED ‘GRIT’

Consuming fortified dairy products enables us to take in the calcium that our bodies need to thrive, but egg-laying birds rely on an altogether different dietary source – from naturally calcium-rich shells. You’ll do them a huge favor by supplying them with recycled chicken eggshells, preferably sterilized for 20 minutes via a 250 degree oven or 10 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Crush them into small bits, presenting them to your winged visitors in a separate tray along with pulverized oyster shells, tiny pebbles and sand, all of which will help them to properly digest and grind their food upon consumption.

CREATE DIY ‘ENERGY BARS’

Rewarding your fine feathered friends with – of all things – a tasty peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread will definitely make them return to your windowsill, doorstep or other avian-friendly perch over and over again. For an even lighter footprint, recycle bread that has seen better days – they certainly won’t mind. You might also consider making suet-based ‘cakes’ with recycled kitchen fat or rendered beef fat (often available at your local grocery store’s butcher department) since they’ll offer an equally respectable source of energy for insect-eating birds. Please bear in mind that when using fat of any kind, your birdie bars – embedded with millet and other types of tasty seeds – will have a relatively short shelf life (especially when exposed to the hot sun), so only whip them out when you have a clamoring crowd.

GROW SEED-BEARING EDIBLES

Flowering botanicals to consider include Aster, Black Eyed Susan, Calendula, Coneflower, Cosmos, Marigold, Snapdragon, Zinnia and pretty much any species of Sunflower due to their excellent protein, high energy seeds (the black oil variety, for example, contains as much as 24% protein and 50% oil)!

OFFER FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLE SCRAPS

Composting the peels, seeds and wonky bits remaining from your kitchen prep work is certainly better than land filling them, but don’t you think that the wild bird population right outside your window would tweet with delight upon receiving such a scrumptious handout? Ummm, yeah they would! Don’t forget to offer them the scooped out seeds from fresh melons and other produce, either, as well as random plant-based treats such as raisins, orange sections, grapes, apple slices, etc.

BIRDS LIKE (HEALTHY) JUNK FOOD, TOO!

Okay, perhaps ‘junk food’ is too strong a term but snicky-snacks… now we’re talking. Noshing on the same old thing day after day can make even the most optimistic bird feel a little cranky, but if you shake things up by augmenting their daily offerings with an occasional surprise buffet of shelled unsalted peanuts, niger seeds, mealworms and/or waxworms, plain popped corn and maybe even some bread crumbs, you’ll witness them literally chattering with delight.

GROW BERRY-BEARING, BIRD-FRIENDLY BOTANICALS

Crab Apple: A springtime stunner with its showy floral display, this deciduous tree does best in full sun, eventually producing multi-hued 2 inch fruit from summer to winter.

Cherry: If you’re willing to share half of your crop with the birds, you’ll be treated to incredibly tasty anthocyanin-rich summertime fruit that basks in the glory of full-on sun.

Dogwood: Partial shade to full sun suits this class of trees and shrubs quite well, revealing clusters of delicate springtime flowers that eventually give way to bright red fruit that lasts well into December.

Firethorn: Offering a punch of green to your landscape no matter the season, this thorned shrub thrives in full shade to full sun, offering feathered friends a late autumn berry buffet ranging in color from yellow and orange to brilliant red.

Hawthorne: Requiring full sun, the shrubs and trees in this genus ultimately bear an assortment of rainbow colored fruit (orange, red, blue-green, yellow and black depending on the variety) in the autumn.

Holly: Several species of this attractive holiday décor favorite require light shade to full sun, and their red berries finally become bird-friendly after enduring several deep wintertime freezes.

Mountain Ash: Sporting a grey bark and clusters of attractive white flowers, this member of the rose family requires light shade to full sun and bears bright red or orange berries in the autumn months.

Roses: These garden favorites thrive in full sun, and the bottom of each faded blossom produces a vitamin C-packed ‘hip’ or hypanthium which matures into a deep red fruit that birds simply relish.

]]>From Our Friends: Mother’s Day Editionhttp://www.organicauthority.com/lauras-faves/from-our-friends-mothers-day-edition.html
Fri, 06 May 2011 00:16:56 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s12-features/c38-lauras-faves/from-our-friends-mothers-day-edition/This weekend is all about the moms out there! This week’s From Our Friends includes a HUGE resource of eco-cards so you can keep the Earth in mind when you tell your mother how much you care. We’ve also got a great list from Shine of the WORST Mother’s Day gifts so you don’t repeat […]

This weekend is all about the moms out there! This week’s From Our Friends includes a HUGE resource of eco-cards so you can keep the Earth in mind when you tell your mother how much you care. We’ve also got a great list from Shine of the WORST Mother’s Day gifts so you don’t repeat history. Between those and some great articles from GOOD, Oprah Mag, and WebEcoist, here’s a great From Our Friends. Enjoy, and have a wonderful weekend.

1. Don’t buy mom the wrong thing! Shine has put together a list of the absolute worst Mother’s Day gifts.

]]>New Years Articles From Our Friendshttp://www.organicauthority.com/from-our-friends/new-years-articles-from-our-friends.html
Fri, 07 Jan 2011 02:23:42 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s12-features/c39-from-our-friends/new-years-articles-from-our-friends/Happy new year! January goes hand in hand with a plethora of resolutions, and hopes are high for change and productivity in the next 12 months. Between politics, pollution, and making some healthy decisions, we have a lot we can do this year to make the world and our lives better. Here are some articles […]

Happy new year! January goes hand in hand with a plethora of resolutions, and hopes are high for change and productivity in the next 12 months. Between politics, pollution, and making some healthy decisions, we have a lot we can do this year to make the world and our lives better. Here are some articles from our friends around the web that get you on the right track.

1. AlterNet is reporting that Japan pressured the US to hassle the famed whale protection group Sea Shepard Conservation Society of Animal Planet’s reality show “Whale Wars.”

2. Obama has finally ended the Bush-era “No More Wilderness” edict, according to Change.org!

3. Greenopolis shares a great study that reveals trees and deciduous plants absorb about a third more pollution than previously thought.Go plant another tree!

4. There is a wonderful article on Rodale about how light therapy can help curb winter’s blues or seasonal affective disorder.

5. Our friends at Eco Snobbery Sucks found someone who turned his bicycle into a drum set. You’ve got to see it to believe it!

]]>Articles from Our Friends Around The Webhttp://www.organicauthority.com/from-our-friends/articles-from-our-friends-around-the-web.html
Fri, 03 Dec 2010 03:41:17 +0000http://www.organicauthority.com/s12-features/c39-from-our-friends/articles-from-our-friends-around-the-web/ The holiday season is officially in full effect! It’s the time of year that in the midst of all the shopping, cooking, eating, and decorating, it’s easy to forget about good ol’ Mother Earth. So with the help of some of our friends around the web, you can stay merry AND green at the […]

The holiday season is officially in full effect! It’s the time of year that in the midst of all the shopping, cooking, eating, and decorating, it’s easy to forget about good ol’ Mother Earth. So with the help of some of our friends around the web, you can stay merry AND green at the same time! And in the meantime, you could consider becoming America’s next green model on Your Daily Thread while preordering Heather Mills’ new vegan cookbook. Enjoy!

1. Ecorazzi is reporting that Heather Mills is releasing her very first vegan cookbook, LoveBites, on December 1st!

Having broken box-office records with Avatar, director James Cameron and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have partnered with the Earth Day Network to create the Avatar Home Tree Initiative—an effort to plant 1 million native trees in 15 countries (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Brazil, Mexico and Haiti).

Each Avatar Blu-Ray and DVD has a unique code, which buyers can register here. Fans who do so can adopt one of the million trees and receive a virtual home tree that represents it. At press time, 227,713 trees have been adopted.

“We find ourselves facing the greatest challenge of our time: saving our natural world from ourselves,” Cameron says. “The time has come to stand up and be warriors for the Earth. Avatar takes place on a distant world, but it’s really about this miracle planet we have right here.”

“Climate change is a worldwide problem, and we have a universal responsibility to protect the world’s natural resources from man’s exploitation,” adds Earth Day Network President Kathleen Rogers, who calls Cameron an “environmental steward.”

Love Avatar?

Check out these official interactive sites:

Pandorama. Using awebcam, immerse yourself in the world of Pandora. Insert yourself into different movie locations, and interact with the elements. Snap postcards, and share them with friends.

Pandorapedia. Enter the official guide to the world of Pandora, with hundreds of online facts.

Immersive Trailer. With this interactive trailer,click on any part of the video to explore frame-by-frame and in-context “hot spots,” which offer meticulous information on characters and locations.